Surgery

March Journaling

1.  So I had a test today. It was normal, which is good. But still no cause for this abdominal pain.

2.  Visiting my grandson overnight.

3.  Home. Napped three hours. Such abdominal pain.

4.  Surgery today, to remove my gallbladder.

5. The surgery went well, no complications, but because of the Fibro my pain was amplified.

6.  I’m missing church today. Not up to it yet.

7.  Wonders never cease. My husband joined facebook.

8.  Today is International Women’s Day. I’m one! My pain is better controlled so I’m starting to decrease the dose.

9.   My husband took me to the mall to get some exercise walking around on his arm.

10.  My mom came to help me out for a few days. The house smells amazing from all her cooking.

11. Going to run some errands with my mom’s help.

12.  My grandson took eight steps today!

13.   It was such a nice day, we went out for a walk in the ravine. It’s good for me to get some exercise post-surgery. Also I slept eight hours last night and didn’t even wake up for pain medication. My pain is getting better controlled, so I’m thankful.

14.  My girls are so sweet. For my birthday next month, they’re paying for a legal name change for me. Pia is the first name I’ve had since I was 11, so for forty years. Most of my documents have Pia on them, like my passport, etc. But Ontario won’t let me change my driver’s license without an official name change. I hate that every time I use my license for ID I have to explain why that name (which I hate) is there instead of Pia. To find out why I hate it, read my blog post, What’s in a Name? I won’t say what it is because I hate it so much. It never felt like me. Today I sent off the documents.

15.  Listening to a message I missed the Sunday after my surgery. Trying to figure out why I have throbbing pains in my legs today. I ate no sugar or potatoes. Could be the rain. It’s supposed to rain all week.

16. Lazy day. I took a shower and that was too much today. I’m on the couch for the rest of the day.

17.  St. Patrick’s day. To celebrate, I’m drinking green tea.

18.  Visiting my grandson. Going by train and my husband’s coming after work, so I won’t have to drive home. Our grandson just got his passport picture done for their upcoming trip to Finland in the summer. It’s adorable.

19.  Women’s ministry at church today. The speaker was from a local crisis pregnancy centre.

20.  Palm Sunday. Then I stopped at a walk-in clinic to get antibiotics for an infection at one of my surgical sites.

21.  Terrorism in Brussels. It makes me nervous for my daughter who is going to Europe this summer. I know no place is safe in one sense, and that God is able to protect her better than we can, but as a parent, I worry.

22.  Budget day. Billions of dollars in deficit spending. Our grandchildren will never pay this off. So irresponsible for a government not to live within its means. Also we had our Annual general meeting and I was chosen to lead the Women’s ministry for two years. I will have a team of four plus a group to plan the retreat. Also, since I have lessons from my previous church, I think I can manage.

23. Follow-up appointment with my gastro-enterologist.

24. Thankfully, my surgeon called me and we had the follow-up appointment on the phone instead, because the roads are icy. So pathology was negative, good news. I asked her about my other pain, and it’s likely adhesions and scar tissue from my hysterectomy two years ago. At least I know not to worry about it, even though it causes me pain almost constantly. All they can recommend is to go on a drug I was on for almost three years, but I weaned off because of the side effects. Nope. Not gonna happen. So I guess I can add it to my other daily pain. Living with chronic pain is so discouraging.

25. Good Friday service. Also, our daughter is home for the weekend from Law School.

26. Dinner with the fam at my mother-in-law’s house. So nice not to have to cook. Also got to see my favourite grandson.

27. Dinner with the rest of the fam at my sister’s house.

28.  We watched Brooklyn. Makes you wish you were Oirish.

29. Good week for International Law; the court our daughter will be interning at this summer at the Hague, the ICTY (International Criminal  Court for the Former Yugoslavia) convicted and sentenced one of the main leaders in the genocide and war crimes.

30.  Summarized Exodus for the ladies at church. It went well.

31. Several medical appointments this week. Sigh.